It's In Her Kiss
by KissThis
Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. UsagiYaten CHAPTER 11 IS UP!
1. Chapter One

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter One

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies: Fufu, Tofu, Mushu, Kovu, Washu, Princess, Rags, and Patches. (Rags and Patches are twins)

A/N: There aren't enough Usagi/Yaten(Female) pairings out there, so I thought I'd do my part! Yay me!

Once again this is Usagi/Yaten

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Sometimes...when she slept...Time would creep up on her, turning her dreams into visions she could not wake from. Dark and cold things from the past. And as she struggled to control the images, collect the scattered emotions that ripped through her, wishing she could wake, she would cry. Water and salt staining her pillows and bed sheets as her hands clung in desperation to the soft comforter that covered her. Then, always, just before she was sure the vision was going to drive her insane and make her cry out from the emotional pain, she would feel arms holding her close, lips brushing against temple. And she would hear the whispered promise that it would be over soon and she would be fine. The ghostly presence would stay with her until the last of visions fell away like wisps of smoke. And her eyes would open, soft emerald pools straining against the darkness, a snowy toned hand falling into the empty space next to her in hopes, that her savior would be there.

But she was always alone. The pale of night wrapping against her and reminding that no matter the prayer, the hope, or wish...she would never again greet the face that, had always, calmed her sleep, made her visions vanish.

Sitting up, Healer wiped the remains of tears from her eyes and slid out of her bed. She padded out of her room and down the hallway to the bathroom. Flicked on the light, blinking back the sudden shock of the brightly illuminated room, stared at the mirror for a minute or two before turning on the faucet and washing her face. The water was cool against her skin doing little to comfort her.

Things were getting worse. In the beginning the visions would hit every couple of weeks. Now they were a constant, a haunting routine and as she wandered back to her room to fetch her robe she tried to sort through what she had seen.

Darkness...always darkness..._at first_. She would be lost, so lost in the darkness that consumed everything turning it raven dark. Lately, the visions held a climax of herself running at...something......_someone_...What or who she could never tell. At least, until she woke up.

Silky, ice blue material slide over her nude body as she changed from her bed-robe into a flowing sundress, grateful that today was her day off. She brushed aside a few strands of smoke shaded hair and stepped out into the vast halls of Kinmokusei Palace forgoing her regular ponytail. 

In the kitchen of the royal home she went through the motions of retrieving herself a snack. Her favorite and a rarity for the health-conscious woman, a strawberry sundae, because it relaxed her though it was doing a poor job that morning. She sat at the servants' table glancing over at the clock, that rested in the corner, briefly before turning her attentions out the window. Dawn was in a few hours and she would see it rise.

Time...

__

Past...

Present...

Future...

The Powers-That-Be were at their wheel...spinning a web, creating a puzzle. Healer was a vessel of their work. A keeper of what they were about to set in motion.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Fighter stared out the window of Kinmokusei's castle. There were no seasons here, like there were on Earth. There was but one season and it always stayed roughly the same temperature, some type of Utopian weather. She'd often heard Usagi and the others talk about something called _Winter_ and _Autumn_. She wanted to see what it would be like there.

Yes...it had been _18 months_ since they had left Earth. She heard the sound of nearly silent footsteps and turned around slowly, already knowing who it would be. Healer stood there looking as morose and somber as ever.

"Hello, Healer," she said quietly.

"Fighter...what is wrong?" She asked. Fighter looked up into her serene and placid eyes. Healer had changed so much since they had returned from Earth, she was more polite , and even caring, but...The fire within her had died, snuffed out by some unseen force that descended upon her fragile shoulders and sucked the life from her. She no longer teased her sisters, or even spoke much anymore, for that matter. For 18 long months she had walked the numerous halls of her home hardly speaking, her eyes distant and troubled, and her demeanor depressingly melancholy with lingering periods of somber thoughts.

It had been quite a change from her self before. 

Healer blinked, seemingly understanding the silence. "You miss it don't you?" She sat next to Fighter upon the window sill and glanced out at the dawn sky before Fighter spoke to her.

Fighter smiled weakly and nodded, brushing coal colored bangs from indigo eyes. "Hai, but only a little." She sighed and looked out at the sky as well. Healer nodded then smiled gently, understanding her sister's pains. She, too, was missing things..._people_...from Earth as well, although her pains were ten-times stronger than Fighter's. And if those pains weren't answered, she truly felt that she would go mad...

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

She was ready to tell the others. She decided. She couldn't wait through another day of visions, another night of the same and all those emotions. Too many emotions hitting all at once, mixing the past with the present and future. She knew that the Powers-That-Be had placed her in the center, always the center...she was not comfortable in that position.

The large park was silent early in the morning. One or two couples breaking the solitude but she didn't mind them. She kept her jade eyes shut. Breathing in and out slowly concentrated attempts at stilling the beat of her heart. She was already plagued by loneliness, like a great black hole inside her body that sucked all the life from her and squashed every happy thought with skilled, shadowy hands; she didn't need the sight of happy couples all around her to feed the physically painful emotion.

What would she tell them?

It was cool. A light breeze here and there wandering around her, picking up her long and unbound hair. Certainly it was going to be a fair day, not too warm, not too cold, but just right...just like every other day on Kinmokusei. Everything was bound to be just right that day...she could feel it in her bones.

Healer took a deep breath and stood up beneath the shade of a Sakura-like tree and let the light blue petals fall from the flowered boughs and drift down all around her immobile body. She ran her tongue lightly over sugar-pink lips and started the long trek back to the palace where, with a single decision, her mind might finally find its rest.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

"Oh, Healer." Princess Kakyuu whispered, trailing a loving hand down her Senshi's silver tresses, "I shall miss you so...but perhaps....perhaps you shall find the rest you seek."

Crystalline tears wove salty paths down both faces as Healer kneeled before her Princess, and kissed her soft palm. "I shall remain, if you wish it..." Healer whispered with a bowed head and shaking voice.

Kakyuu bent and lifted up her senshi and friend, "How can I deny your request when I know that **only** the one you love can bring you from this depression you have slipped into." She chuckled slightly, bring Healer's tear-filled gaze to the crimson orbs of her leader. "I have seen the way you walk the halls without a word, but with your cares evident upon your face and in the way you carry yourself."

"Take care of the others." Healer begged, already beginning to wipe the tears and their wet trails from her alabaster face. The thought of seeing Usagi again was slightly overshadowed by the imminent knowledge that she'd _never_ see her sisters, her home, or her Princess again.

Kakyuu looked at Healer in inquiry. "Don't you want to say goodbye?"

Healer sighed, "They just wouldn't understand that I have to leave. I'm not sure if they even understand my dreams..." Healer felt more hot tears enter her eyes. Blinking them back she turned and started walking to the Palace doors. He heard footsteps entering the main room she had just vacated and curiosity got the best of her.

Princess Kakyuu was standing there with Maker and Fighter talking to her. Healer stood in pure awe as she listened to the words being spoken.

"...Are you sure you want to leave, as well?" The red-haired woman asked. The two women exchanged a loving look and nodded without a second of hesitation.

"Hai, Princess." Maker said quietly, but firmly with Fighter nodding her agreement to the statement.

Kakyuu nodded with a sad smile forming on her cherry red lips, "I know you both ache for Earth as well...and I know that you three are stubbornly inseparable. It saddens me, even more than your decision to leave, to think of what would become of you if you stayed – burdened with both your desire for Earth and the pain of Healer's severing."

"But you shouldn't come because of me..." Healer protested, making her presence known. Maker and Fighter looked over at her and smiled shaking their heads. "No, Healer, we're a family. A place isn't our home, we are home no matter where we go," Fighter said, surprising Healer with his sudden need for Healer's love. "Besides," she went on, "We too miss Earth..."

Kakyuu understood their need for Earth, and tried to put on a good face for them. They had grown and matured since they'd gone there, and she no longer wanted them to stay if it wasn't their wish. And when they were gone the Palace seemed strangly........_empty_.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R!

KissThis


	2. Chapter Two

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Two

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: Um...I'm babysitting my little brother and watching Justice League with him so...yeah. I might be a little out of it, while I'm writing.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Wide, blue eyes shimmering like the depths of the ocean darted to the luminescent red numbers along a whitewashed wall. The woman shifted almost nervously in the hard seat upon which she waited, as Flight 291 docked at Tokyo International.

Long and pink manicured nails tapped impatiently upon the plastic armrest of the airport seat. Usagi craned her neck trying to catch sight of Mamoru over the large crowd of passengers swarming from the Gate exit. The beginning measures of the Sailor Moon Theme song rose in techno beats from Usagi's purse.

"Moshi Moshi?" She inquired into the mouthpiece of her cell phone.

"Usako!"

Usagi laughed nervously and looked around, "Hi Mamoru." She replied, fake cheeriness filling her voice.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"Mamoru..." She started.

"Never mind. I'll find you Usako."

The nickname that had once filled her with a warm and fuzzy feeling now made her cringe in shame and sadness for what she couldn't help but feel inside. Her free hand tugged on one of her braids and she turned around again searching for any sign of her boyfriend. "Listen..." She urged. "Things are..._different_ since you left..." The dead tone from Mamoru's cell phone rang in her ear, and she whipped around.

The black duffel bag that had been his carry-on slipped from Mamoru's quickly numbing fingers. Navy blue eyes widened beneath their cover of raven locks as they took in Usagi's _new_ appearance. 

Her once floor length hair had been hacked off to the point where it reached just beneath her shoulder blades. The flaxen, golden locks were twisted into two braids but tiny bands of silver streaked throughout the caramel mass; hinting at her approach to Neo-Queen Serenity. A white blouse was buttoned loosely over newly developed curves and the thing white material didn't hide the hot pink bra beneath. His eyes trailed down her flat, toned stomach to wear a flash of metal caught his eye. A star-shaped earring pierced the flesh of her belly button. Dark denim flares hung low off her hips and the thin, pink waistband of her string panties peaked above the waistline.

"Hi..." Usagi said weakly.

Mamoru was at a loss for words. As if to reassure himself, that it was really his Usagi standing before him he reached out to touch her face. Usagi pulled away thrusting her fists into the pockets of her jeans. "Can we talk?"

Mamoru nodded and followed he woman to the waiting area of Gate D5. Her height was now practically a match to his own 6'2" and with a glance at her feet he found her to be wearing flip-flops and that her newly acquired height was not due to 3" heels.

"Usagi? I was only gone a year!" He exclaimed running a hand through his hair. Usagi wrung her hands unsure of how to continue. The feel of cold metal beneath her fingertips set her back on track, and she turned to Mamoru. "A lot happened in that year, and I've realized things that I wasn't allowed to even think about when you were here..."

She examined the ring upon her finger briefly, her sapphire eyes blinking closed against the memories of the paste when she had received the symbol of love and promise. Then she slid it off her finger, and placed in Mamoru's hand, curling his shocked fingers around the metallic band. "It's just not going anywhere...I'm really sorry."

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Yaten breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. Her dusty silver hair fell in waves around her body and face and causing her ivory cheeks to appear glowing. She stepped out of Gate D6 on black heeled feet and leaned against the wall to wait for her sisters. In boredom, she readjusted her black Prada purse several times and brushed imaginary particles of dust from the same blue sundress in a rather compulsive manner.

Finally, she turned at a tug on her arm. It was Seiya, but her troubled indigo gaze was not on her, but focused on an unknown point, to her, in the distance. She stood on her tiptoes and craned her neck in an attempt to look in the same angle as her sister. Yaten let out a frustrated sigh, and Seiya laughed slightly and helped point out the object of her scrutiny.

"Isn't that Mamoru?" Seiya asked.

"Where?"

"The next gate over; D5."

Yaten's heart deflated as she spied the ebony haired man sitting by himself in the aforementioned gate. Her glowing appearance slipped into shadowed dullness while the jade-eyed woman silently berated herself for forgetting that crucial detail. Her over-analyzing brain picked up on the depressing facts of the matter.

Usagi loves Mamoru...

She would always love Mamoru...

Mamoru was tall, dark, and handsome...

And what was she? Short, annoying, and impulsive...and female.

Usagi needed Mamoru for Crystal Tokyo...

...Needed him to produce an heir...

Yaten could never her give her that...

The same darkness that plagued her visions consumed her and she was instantly filled with an unconquerable sense of exhaustion and utter defeat. Her body sagged and she turned away from the stealer of her love's heart. Her brilliant eyes dimmed as she fought back the tears of self-pity, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..." She whispered.

She didn't even see it coming.

The next thing Yaten knew she was sporting an awful headache and nursing the back of her head. She glared in surprised anger at her brunette sister, "What the f-" She started to shout.

"Honestly, Yaten. You are such a drama queen sometimes." Taiki taunted in annoyance.

Yaten's jaw dropped at her sister's complete shift in personality and manner.

"When have you let something like this stop you before?" She lectured, assuming her "mom voice".

Seiya nodded her charcoal head in agreement, "Find her, woe her, and don't let anything stand in your way!"

It was in that moment; when all hope had faded. That Yaten grasped tight her sisters' words and drew her strength from them. Darkness, Yaten's enemy for countless sleepless nights and haunted days, was defeated. Yaten had this one chance to dispel the darkness forever and she wasn't going to let it slip through her fingers.

"This town needs to be shaken' up a bit." She declared with a devilish air. 

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Usagi stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror for a minute or two before turning on the faucet and washing her face. The water was cool against her skin and comforted her. The splash of the water against the porcelain bowl of the sink helped to wash away the past from her body.

She turned the taps to staunch the flow of water and proceeded to dry her hands. Digging through her purse she extracted a golden bracelet. From the thin chain dangled three jeweled stars; one of diamond, one of amethyst, and one of ruby. Thinking about the givers of the bracelet made her run a single finger along it in a sweet longing.

She grabbed her cell phone and punched in a memorized number. Her long nails tapped against the pink face-cover of the mobile device that was decorated with gold crescent moons and tiny stars.

"Moshi Moshi?"

"Hey 'Ruka-chan!"

"Koneko...how did it go...?"

"He, uh, took it pretty well..."

"You dumped him and ran _didn't you_?"

Usagi blushed and pushed open the bathroom door with her free hand. "Not exactly...now what did you want for din-"

Usagi looked up as the crowds of people rushing off to their own destinations parted, revealing a small group of women. Three women. All of them: Drop Dead Gorgeous.

"Usagi?" Haruka's voice buzzed in her ear.

"Three babes, at 10 o'clock." 

"Honestly, Koneko! You're impossi-" 

Usagi hung up on the older woman and threw her cell back in to her purse. She slid on her sunglasses and ran after the three women she had spied out earlier. "Hey Gorgeous!" She called out, flagging the trio down.

She looked down on them with a sexy grin, because they were all shorter than her, save for the brunette who was approximately the same in height. 

"Are you talking to us?" The fair one asked.

Usagi giggled, "Of course! Do you see any other gorgeous women here?"

"You-" the brunette clapped a hand over the mouth of the woman with onyx hair, but not soon enough to stop the blush that rose in Usagi's cheeks.

"Do you need a ride anywhere?" She asked.

"We're looking for an old friend..." The brunette explained.

"Who? I might know them."

"Usagi Tsukino."

A sly grin slid onto her face and she licked her sugar pink lips. "Really...why?" She started walking towards the doors of the airport and surprisingly enough the women followed.

"It's kind of complicated," The raven-haired one explained.

"I've got time," Usagi insisted sweetly motioning to her pink VW bug convertible that was parked in front of them. They climbed in and Usagi peeled out of the parking lot with a squeal of tires and the smell of burning rubber. 

"Juuban District." The brunette instructed, but found that their driver was already on the exit towards it. "How did you know?" She asked suspiciously.

"I live there too." Was her simple answer, "So why are you looking for this Usagi girl."

"Well Yaten here is madly in love with her," The raven-haired woman said, indicating the red faced, fair one. "Seiya!" The woman exploded. Usagi smirked when she realized just whom she had picked up.

"But I'm available," Seiya flirted leaning forward into the front seat.

"Taiki!" Yaten pleaded.

"Honestly, Seiya!" Taiki reprimanded shoving the woman backwards and out of Usagi's vision, "We've been here less than an hour."

"Well this doesn't have to be all about Yaten! We left home too. I want a hot babe, and excuse me for finding one right away!" Seiya defended as if it was obvious.

"SEIYA!" The women screamed in embarrassment, but Usagi just shook her head. "I think it was _me_ who found _you_." She pulled up to a Japanese take-out, and ordered an obscene amount of food.

"That's not all for you is it?" Seiya asked bluntly.

Usagi glared at her and retrieved the bags of food, "Of course not. Girls night out..."

"And you're in charge of food." Yaten finished.

"Exactly, you guys are welcome to come if you want it's at my place..."

Just then her phone rang.

"Moshi Moshi?" She inquired while turning sharply around another corner.

"I'm hungry!" A husky voice whined.

"Honestly, 'Ruka-chan! You are bent on ruining my love life aren't you?"

"I try, Koneko."

"I just got the food, but it's taking a while, what with two of them already confessing they have the hots for me..."

Usagi laughed at the sounds of her guardian choking, "Two?!"

"Wait...how do you know Haruka-san?" Taiki voiced, curiously.

"And it was only Seiya who......unless......"

Usagi pulled off her sunglasses and winked her cerulean blue eyes at her shocked passengers. "Oops." She grinned, "Hi, I'm Usagi Tsukino."

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R!

KissThis


	3. Chapter Three

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Three

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: Lol, now don't they feel sheepish! And what's this? – Usagi knows about Yaten's feelings? Eeeeexcelent...(creepy evil voice)

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

"Kombanwa minna-san!" Usagi opened the large door of the mansion and called out. The Starlights, still dumfounded and shocked followed her inside each carrying a plastic bag bulging with Japanese take-out.

"Upstairs!" Michiru's voice called out from the second floor

"And hurry up! I'm starving!" That was Haruka.

"Damnit 'Ruka-chan! When I get up there..." Usagi kicked off her flip-flops and took the ancient wooden stairs two at a time disappearing from view. Yaten stood stock-still for a nano-second and then bolted. Despite the clichéness of it, Taiki and Seiya actually had to drag the shorter woman up the stairs...kicking and screaming...

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

"Ohayo!" She said, dropping the food bags. They had barely been on the ground for more than a minute when they were snatched up by a horde of starving women. "Save some for me!" She exclaimed, incredulously. 

"Sorry Usa."

"Mina-chan! You made it!" Usagi embraced the blonde who was currently stuffing her face with chicken and rice. Minako returned the hug and kissed her former "twin" on the cheek. "Have I ever missed a Chill-A-Thon?!" She pointed out.

Usagi grinned impishly, "Well, noooooo.......but you're a big movie star now. I didn't think you'd have time for your childhood friends......ya know...the ones who've always been there for you..." Usagi pouted, "And one, in particular, who has saved your life and brought it back on many an occasion..."

"Geez!" Minako exclaimed handing over the take-out carton, "Heaping on the guilt trip are we?"

Usagi cheekily popped a piece of chicken in her mouth before replying, "Works every time."

The door to the living room slide open and Yaten came tumbling in; most likely due to the combined efforts of Taiki and Seiya. The two suspects entered thereafter wearing identically victorious expressions that only helped confirmed Usagi's earlier assumption.

"These aren't the ones you picked up...are they?" Haruka questioned.

"Yeah. You should've seen their faces when they finally realized it was me. Oh, the things they told me..."

Emerald eyes pleaded with the azure ones peering over the flaps of a rice carton, and Yaten sighed in relief when Usagi didn't continue. The same blue orbs that saved her from the darkness of her dreams, were the same blue eyes that pinned her gaze and held her a prisoner. The world continued around her, but Yaten took no notice as heaven opened to her within her desire's eyes.

And then it was gone and Usagi was speaking again. Yaten blinked against the harsh light of an overhead chandelier as her jade orbs readjusted to reality. "What are we waiting for?!" Usagi asked, "LET'S PARTY!"

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

The resounding beat was loud, and made them forget their troubles; not to mention the countless beers they had downed. The breakneck rhythm thumped through the walls and pulsed around them. Their bodies felt the need to move and they all danced close – not just because of the room's compactness – and they started to dance close, hips in line.

Usagi sighed drawing Haruka's eyes to her, "When is it going to be my turn? I mean Rei has _way_ too many girls that like her, Makoto is always running off to meet some secret boyfriend, and hell _everyone_ has the hots for Minako."

"True...she **is **a babe..."

" 'Ruka-chan!" Usagi exclaimed, with a liquored half-grin. "Focus!"

Haruka laughed, "Well her legs _do_ go **all** the way down to the floor..."

Usagi pouted, "It's not funny."

"Yeah, it is" Haruka started dancing again. She took Usagi's hand and danced with her back to the rest of the dancers. "It's funny because you haven't bothered to check out what's around you."

"What do you mean?" Usagi started moving, facing Haruka this time.

"Move your hips, wild one," Haruka teased. "And I'll show you."

"What?" Usagi seemed baffled, and she blinked her glassy eyes in drunken confusion.

"You are way too cute to think you're never going to get a girlfriend." Haruka placed her hands on Usagi's hips. They danced close, facing each other. Haruka looked around. "Okay, now look to the left."

Usagi looked out the corner of her eye and up through her long, black lashes. "Yaten?" She guessed, catching sight of the green-eyed woman laughing and dancing with seventeen year old Hotaru.

"Mmm...yeah..." Haruka affirmed in a low and husky voice. The older woman slide her hands up and down Usagi's sides and pulled her princess deeper into the throng of partying friends.

A cryptic smile slowly blossomed on Usagi's face. She smoothed her hands up over her waist, up and around her neck, then slowly through her unbraided hair, as if she were testing her power.

Suddenly, she turned back and faced Haruka. She was breathless and her face was red with more than just a drunken rosieness. Haruka danced her over to Yaten.

The fair woman smiled shyly and pointed to her chest as if to say "Me?" When Usagi nodded, her smile stretched into a look of shy but happy surprise, and they started to dance.

Haruka watched them for a moment, then closed her eyes and let the music take her away.

Usagi lifted her tanned arms above her head and swayed. Yaten pressed against her and warm hands snaked around her waist. Usagi was immediately glad she'd lost the blouse hours ago as the sensuous pleasure of Yaten's slender and artistic hands on her bare skin and a pleasant nervousness rushed through her.

Yaten's hands slid from Usagi's waist and instead dug into the back pocket's of the blonde's jeans. Consequently, their hips ground together and the loud techno music reverberated through their connected bodies. A sudden vision swept through Yaten's mind sending tiny jolts of electricity sparking to her fingertips.

She had seen herself kissing Usagi. And it hadn't been a friendly peck on the cheek. The kiss was long and passionate. Her lips trembled and she felt phantom lips brushing her own in a soft and tempting "free sample" of what was possible. But when she opened her eyes Usagi was looking at her curiously.

Then the vision of the passionate kiss flashed uninvited – but not un_wanted_ – into her mind. Yaten blushed and backed away from Usagi.

Usagi grabbed her hand and pulled her back going as far as to slid Yaten's hands back into the rear pockets of her jeans. The air was fragrant with her Vanilla 'N Coconut perfume. "You want to dance?"

Yaten took a deep breath. She was filled with dizzy confusion as the hazy fuzz of the beer she had consumed flooded through her senses. Why would Usagi want to dance with her? Usagi smiled. Was she flirting with her? What about Mamoru?

Yaten shrugged. She could feel Usagi's belt buckle pressing against her fluttering stomach. She couldn't catch her breath. 

"Why do you look so surprised?" Usagi asked. She held her close, her hands firm on the small of her back. Yaten placed her hands on her hips and tried not to look in her piercing blue eyes.

Yaten looked up at her, but Usagi quickly looked away. Why couldn't she look into her eyes when it was usually so easy to look in the eyes of other girls, tilt her head, and tease them?

Yaten continued dancing with her but felt acutely aware of the closeness of their bodies, the scratch of Usagi's jeans on her bare legs. Usagi's hands moved up and down the exposed skin of Yaten's arms, leaving tingling trails of tiny goose bumps along them. She leaned down, pressing her cheek next to hers.

Yaten closed her eyes and let her arms slowly side up Usagi's sides to wrap around her neck. She had never imagined that it could feel this good to dance with a woman. Usagi's lips moved across Yaten's cheek, searching for hers. Usagi danced slow against her and stared down at Yaten, her eyes lingering on sugar pink lips. Yaten's eyes fluttered closed. Her chin tilted upwards slightly and she parted her mouth slightly and waited. She needed a kiss.

Usagi leaned in, as if, to kiss her when a commotion made them turn.

Hotaru had passed out standing up, and now lay immobile in a pile of smashed take-out cartons and discarded articles of clothing. Apparently the three bottles of beer she had willingly consumed had been a bit much for the younger woman and had raced through her system faster than it did in their 21 and 24 year old bodies. Secondly, they had been at bunch of wild parties, with alcohol involved, whereas this was Hotaru's first.

The music stopped and the room was filled with the sound of beer cans emptying. Minako, Michiru, and Rei shoved around them, heading for the bathrooms. Someone tapped Yaten's shoulder. She slumped and turned her head. She sadly watched as Haruka pulled Usagi close and they headed towards Hotaru.

Only Seiya saw the entire scene between Usagi and Yaten and laughed as her green-eyed sister growled and kicked the couch with a muttered oath:

"Damnit!"

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R!

Tell me what ya think.

And yah...they drink beer...yah got a problem with THAT?!

They're in their twenties! They don't exactly drink apple juice anymore.

KissThis


	4. Chapter Four

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Four

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: Hello! It's been brought to my attention that it seems a bit OOC of Usagi and especially Yaten to have them instantly "click". Looking back, I acknowledge this person's point, but if you think about it when Yaten was a man she was annoying, loud, and didn't really care what anyone else thought. Ya thinking about it? Good. But despite my thinking I will go back and correct my error.

Oh! Second. Seiya and all her sexy-ness are coming! Honestly! Some of you have no respect for plot lines! :-P

Third: Usagi is not a tramp. She's TWENTY-ONE for Kami's sake! I don't think she's exactly dressing in her school uniform and bows anymore .

(P.S. Beer is good! *giggles*)

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Small rivulets of water trickled down the tanned flesh of Usagi's forearm as she pressed the damp cloth against Hotaru's forehead. Satisfied that she had cleaned the ghostly pale skin of all perspiration she laid the rag along the girl's forehead leaving the cold dampness to work it's will. Looking around she tugged on the afghan that decorated the coach upon which Haruka and herself had laid the unconscious girl. She tucked it around Hotaru with experienced deftness and a wry smile. 

Usagi sighed and stood. The back of her hand dragged across her own forehead clearing it of the tiny beads of sweat that had begun to form there. A button clicked behind her and the loud bumping music pounded once again through the room. She grinned at Ami, who had turned the music back on, and whirled around.

"Yaten?" 

She looked around for her former dance partner, but the moonlit beauty was naught to be seen. Usagi pushed hopefully through the throng of bodies, but the object of her desires eluded her. Her face fell, despite the way her body swayed in response to the compelling beat of music.

Haruka, seeing her distress, began to make her way towards the younger women, when someone beat her to it. Haruka scowled as "they" wrapped their arms around Usagi's tiny waist and pulled the surprised woman towards them.

Usagi's smile rose again at the warm touch of another's hands on her bare skin. She whirled around, but hesitated when rather than shy emerald-eyes flirty indigo ones gazed teasingly back. "S-Seiya?" She faltered in surprise.

"Let's dance..." Thin, coral lips quirked upwards in a sexy grin.

Usagi laughed and nodded in enthusiasm, her ocean eyes sparkling again. They danced backwards with Usagi's back against Seiya's stomach their bodies sliding and swaying in wild accordance with the lively music spewed out by an impressive sound system.

Seiya's hands slid from Usagi's waist to her thighs in a teasing manner. Usagi shivered as Seiya's soothing touch reached her beneath the thick and weathered denim she wore. Her hands finally had a purpose as their long and slender fingers intertwined with those of her partner and guided them in complicated patterns up her legs and waist and across her flat and toned stomach.

Teasing and flirtatious words were breathed in her ear, and she took them for nothing more than friendly whisperings, laughing and enjoying the company of a long-gone friend and confidant. She angled and turned her head so that she was looking up at Seiya who was looking down at her. A strange emotion flickered in and out of indigo eyes being as elusive as a fox, which wasn't helped at all by Usagi's drunken state. She blinked quickly as her brain was roused out of it's own alcohol induced stupor and she tried to pin down that elusive emotion; it being vaguely familiar. 

Her head began to ache and so she took to easy choice rather than the emotional one and let it slip from her mind that was already beginning to sink back into silent ineffectuality. Her lopsided smile turned to a giggle and she closed her eyes letting the music take her away as she wrapped her arms around Seiya's neck, drawing their bodies closer with the need to dance.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Too stupefied to do anything else, Yaten sat down on the bench with a thump. It was as if her knees had absorbed the shock before any other part of her had had a chance to. All the color had gone from her face, except for two burning spots just upon each cheekbone. 

"What was I thinking?" She exclaimed in fanatical hysteria. From habit, she buried her face in her hands and raked her long fingers through her wind-tousled hair displaying her anxiety.

Even from the street she could her the loud and enthralling music from the second floor of the Outer's, and now Usagi's, mansion. Her emerald eyes shifted to the pool of flickering light that streamed from the overhead street-lamp. Small fragments of a vision flashed in her mind...

A touch here...

A caress there...

Hints of whispered promises...

Against Yaten's will, tears started to well up. She gulped down, furious at her own lack of control. Of their own volition her eyes were drawn to a high-rise window. As the portable strobe light within the mansion flickered a dozen times a second a pair of silhouettes were framed in the clear windows. Shadows that twisted and melted together in erratic and drunken weavings that morphed to high-paced, slinking movement that made their images blur before Yaten's alcohol clouded vision.

"Usagi..." She whispered, "...and Seiya?"

Surely she couldn't love Seiya; Yaten couldn't believe that. No. She loved her. She was sure of it. The way they had danced........touched........

*Just like she's doing with your sister?* The voice in her head chided. The voice took hold of her and she found herself unable to tear her eyes from the crushing window scene. The voice whispered in her ear. It told her things she had convinced herself couldn't be true. 

*Usagi doesn't love you.....you're half the woman Seiya is...*

"No. There was a connection. We almost kissed..."

*But didn't...*

"But-"

*No. "Buts".*

"Seiya-"

*You. _Never_. Had. A. Chance...*

With a sad sort of sigh she shrugged into the jacket she'd snatched from the floor of the dance room. Now she ran swiftly and quietly through Juuban District heading east toward the apartment complex the Light's had occupied on their previous stay. There was, it seemed, no one about, as if every living soul had been swept from the streets. Even in the usually more populous north-eastern quarter of the district, she came upon no other folk.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Unable to find the light switch, Yaten collapsed upon her former bed enveloped in shadows. Too numbed and emotionally fatigued to do anything more than pull the covers over her still fully clothed body she began to drift to sleep. But as she drew the silky gold covers up she looked closely at the jacket she was wearing for the first time since she had grabbed it from the mansion.

At least she had one thing to remember her by...

The thought rooted firmly in her mind as she was swept off to Dream Land and wrapped tightly in Usagi's white blouse...

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R

KissThis


	5. Chapter Five

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Five

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: Well that was fun...guess what? It gets _even_ FUNNER!

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

When Usagi woke up the next morning, she felt something pressed against her, a warm breeze in her ear, and an unfamiliar weight over her chest. Sleepily looking down, she noticed the weight to be an arm. Turning her head slightly, she could see part of Seiya's face, her nose close to Usagi's ear. It took a moment for the fact to register in her brain and she froze in the middle of a sleepy yawn.

"Oh shit!" She hissed, "Oh _SHIT_!" In an attempt to sit up beneath the weight of Seiya's arm she unbalanced herself and tumbled from the couch located in Seiya's bedroom. Thankfully she found herself as completely clothed as she had been the night before, though having been unable to find her blouse as she was leaving the mansion she was wearing only her pink bra for a top.

Seiya sat up groggily on the couch and rubbed her eyes while watching in amusement as Usagi scrambled around the bedroom in a frantic state. "Nothing happened, Odango-Atama..." Seiya informed her with a laugh.

"Thank God for that!" She exclaimed. She pulled one of Seiya's shirts over her head and pulled the rest of her hair free from beneath the collar. Stumbling over to a rather rumpled looking bed she retrieved her sandals from where she had discarded them the night before. 

Turning to the mirror on the vanity she pulled her silvery-blonde hair into a high ponytail. With a muffled gasp her hand flew to a small purple blotch along the side of her neck. The sharp intake of breath helped her put two and two together. "What is this?" She hissed whirling around. "This better not be what I think it is Kou!"

The raven-haired woman rose lithely from couch behind her with a low chuckle and a smirk that Usagi knew was there even without looking. Seiya leaned up to Usagi, pressed against her back and placed her chin the girl's left shoulder, gingerly. Strong, muscular arms wrapped around Usagi's waist in a comforting and provocative way that made the blood rush to Usagi's face. "What's wrong with that?" She whispered huskily in Usagi's ear. With a chuckle she nipped affectionately at the blonde's ear lobe.

A small moan escaped Usagi's lips before she got herself back together. With a harsh force she pulled herself from Seiya's grasp and pushed the woman away at the same time. "Many, _many_ things are wrong with that!" Usagi insisted, almost on the verge of hysteria. "You said **nothing** happened! You _said_-"

"Oops." Seiya grinned with mischievous seductiveness. "Besides, nothing like _that_ happened...it was just some innocent, erotic fun..." 

"Seiya!" She exclaimed wrapping one of Seiya's multicolored scarves around her neck and effectively concealing Seiya's handiwork. "I'm serious!"

Seiya winked, "So am I."

"I was drunk...and...and feeling alone...and..and you-" She stuttered pointed an accusing finger in Seiya's face.

"Hey!" Seiya shot back angrily, "You're the one who insisted on walking Taiki and I home! You insisted..."

"And so you...you..." Usagi stuttered in anger before throwing her hands up into the air, "Urgh!" She exclaimed, "Sometimes you just-I mean…Urgh! I'm going now." Opening the door she ran smack into Yaten who was exiting her own room at the same time.

"Usagi." Yaten managed after a moment of silence. "You...you spent the night?"

Usagi laughed a bit nervously, tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and shuffled her feet in a further sign of her discomfort at the sudden and abrupt meeting that was currently taking place. "Of course not!"

Seiya's sharp intake of breath did not pass unnoticed by either Usagi _or_ Yaten. Usagi picked up the thread of conversation a bit to quickly for Yaten, and her heart began to plummet. "No, I just came over to see if you guys had settled in alright..."

"We're fine." Yaten's voice was brisk as she pushed past the slightly affronted blonde and stalked into the kitchen.

"Yaten..."

"You're wearing my shirt."

Silence.

"Well...I-I didn't.....I didn't know-" Yaten stumbled over her words; her face turning redder by the second. Usagi, in her own display of an icy brush off, turned her back on the continuous stuttering of Yaten and talked to a bemused Seiya who was currently standing within the doorframe. "Tell Taiki I said hi." She said quietly, and headed out the door.

"Keep the shirt..."

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R!

Tell me what you think!

KissThis


	6. Chapter Six

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Six

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: I'm gonna try and make this one longer. Btw, you guys asked for drama...I gave you drama. Do you know why? Because I aim to please. It's turning into quite the soap opera isn't it? Seiya...Yaten...Seiya...Yaten........Usagi.... I **love** myself sometimes! Anyhoo, this chapter will be chock filled with both Seiya and Yaten goodness so---Enjoy!

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

"Sorry I'm late, 'Toki-san." Usagi apologized ducking under the bar and grabbing an apron from an overhead cupboard. Motoki shook his head and finished his current task of wiping down the counter. Motoki, now a dashing man of 26, had been married to his long-time girlfriend, Reika, for 3 years and had actually become the owner of the Fruit Crown Parlor Arcade just two and a half years before.

"Like you'd ever let me stay mad at you." He chuckled.

Grinning as she passed by in her white apron and holding a pad of paper and a pencil, Usagi winked at her boss and childhood friend. "That's why you love me."

"Just get out there and start taking people's orders." 

She gave a mock salute, "Yes, Sir." Turning smartly on her heel she marched into the main room of the parlor her arms swinging stiffly at her sides.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

"Hey Cutie!"

"Minako! Hey!"

Usagi paused in loading the dirty dishes onto her serving tray and turned to her friend. Before hugging her friend she wiped her hands on her apron and then embraced her "twin". "Looks like you've been shopping." Usagi mused taking in the dozen paper bags Minako had clutched in both hands.

Minako gave a tired sigh and plopped down into the booth Usagi had finished cleaning. "Yeah, since eight. It was a blast you should've come!" She exclaimed while piling her numerous packages beside her in the green leather booth. Usagi gestured to the piled high platter. "I had to work."

"Speaking of which. Could you be a doll and get me a glass of sparkling water?" She batted her wide, innocent, blue eyes at her and Usagi couldn't help but laugh.

"Whatever, Mina-chan." With a grunt she hoisted up the overburdened tray and disappeared into the kitchen. Minutes later she returned with a tall, cool glass of sparkling water.

"Oh! You're a dish." Minako gushed.

"Wait! I almost forgot." Usagi leaned forward and pulled from behind her back a paper drink umbrella and stuck it in Minako's beverage. "I know how you like the little umbrellas." She grinned.

"You only got one?" Minako asked suspiciously. Usagi rolled her eyes before reaching behind her back and drawing forth-another tropical umbrella, which she placed behind Minako's ear. "You're too good to me, Usa-chan."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Oh!" Minako exclaimed, jumping slightly in her seat. "I got you some clothes while I was out..."

"You're too good to _me_. Because of you I never actually have to shop for myself..." Usagi said with a laugh. Leaning against the side of the booth she brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and then focused her amused attention on the bag through which Minako was rummaging.

"Ah ha!" Minako's declaration of triumph was slightly muffled do the fact that almost her entire upper body was hidden inside the obscenely large shopping bag. Straightening, she held outstretched her prize that she had retrieved from the bottom of her multiple purchases.

Motoki looked up in surprise to find Usagi gagging while clutching her heart and turning the color of cherries. "_What_ is _that_?" She hissed through tightly clenched teeth.

Minako pulled her right hand up, and began twirling a golden strand of hair around her finger while fluttering her eyelashes. Usagi ignored her friend's innocent look, and made a strangling noise while eyeing the article between Minako's hands.

"It's a swimsuit." Minako said pointedly.

"It's a scrap of cloth!" Usagi insisted trying to shield the suit from the eyes of the customers.

"It's sexy." Minako countered, easily.

"It's the middle of Autumn!" Usagi enforced her point, by gesturing out the window where leaves of all colors drifted lazily down from the tree tops the settle restlessly on the pavement.

"It was on sale." Minako said beaming, obviously proud of her amazing find.

"And where am I gonna wear this?"

Minako winced and bit her lip, "At the indoor beach we're all going to...right now..." Her eyes squeezed shut fearing the outburst that was sure to follow such a statement.

"WHAT?!" She practically exploded.

"Usagi!" Motoki called from the bar.

"Sorry, 'Toki-chan." She called back in apology. Then she turned back to Minako and lowered her voice before repeating herself. "What?!"

"Yeah. Let's go." Minako went to stand, but Usagi pushed her back down with a not-so-gentle shove so she could not get away so easily. 

"Talk. NOW!"

"Well, we all wanted to do something to day, and Ami suggested swimming..."

"Go figure." Usagi muttered.

"Anyway!" Minako continued glaring at her friend, "We knew you wouldn't want to go once you found out that Yaten and Seiya would be there."

_Holy shit!_

Usagi laughed, "Why would you think that?"

_Stop now..._

"Well it's so obvious that they **both** are digging on you..." Minako said sipping her drink.

"R-Really?" She stammered slightly.

"Yeah." Minako gave her an odd look, "Like you didn't know? And everyone know you like them both......how much we're not certain. And we know something happened last night between the three of you, but we don't have any details..."

Usagi knew the blonde was strategically placing an opportunity for Usagi to explain everything about her love life. Unfortunately, for Minako, Usagi wasn't easily persuaded to divulge her secrets regarding her social life.

"I'll go."

_Back out **now**._

"Really?" Minako was incredulous.

_No_.

"Yeah."

Minako hesitated a moment before grinning at her friend. "Great!"

_You really don't want to do this. Bad things..._

"I'll even wear the swimsuit."

_Now you're screwed._

Minako was literally beaming from ear to ear. Minako's infectious smile did, in fact, infect Usagi and she found a small, shy smile forming on her own face. "Well let's go!" Leaping up she looped her arm through Usagi's and used the other arm to grab about half her bags. Usagi grabbed the rest of Minako's bags and stumbled towards the door behind her captor.

"Motoki, I-" Usagi started.

Motoki waved her away, "I've already been briefed."

Usagi groaned. Minako made another rude yank and Usagi cleared the sliding glass doors.

_Now you're **really** screwed..._

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

"Minako, you made it!" Rei exclaimed, swimming to the edge of the pool. "Is-"

"Yep!" Her eyes positively twinkled, "She's coming."

The princess of Venus pulled off the concealing towel that she had wrapped around her waist and dropped it on top of the chlorine-bleached, plastic bench that lined the walls of the indoor pool. She was revealed to be wearing a hot orange bikini decorated in a Hawaiian flower motif. She had undone her normal hair-do and her golden tresses clung to her back, now charged with static electricity.

"Oh my god!" Rei exclaimed.

Minako, seated at the edge of the pool looked up from dipping her legs, to see that Usagi had made her "grand" entrance. The blushing blonde was inching her way along the wall while futilely trying to cover herself.

"What is she wearing?" Makoto asked swimming up next to Rei.

"I picked it out. I think it's cute."

"She's practically naked, Minako." Rei cut in. "I can't believe she agreed to wear it."

"Neither can I."

By this point in the trio's conversation Usagi had successfully reached the deep end of the pool, which reached about 11 ft., and was currently bending over and whispering to Minako.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"Let me see." Makoto ordered.

Usagi blushed and reluctantly moved her arms so that they no longer obstructed her friends' view. Rei whistled. "Shit, Minako..."

The tiny bikini top was shimmering silver that picked up hints of rainbow when the overhead, fluorescent lights hit it just right. The strings wrapped around her slender neck and tied behind her head. Her bottoms were identical to the top hanging extremely low off her hips and tying on each side of her hips.

"Neither one of them are going to be able to resist her, don't you agree?" Minako asked Rei.

Usagi interrupted Rei before she could even speak, "What?"

Minako gulped.

"This isn't some attempt at fixing me up...is it Minako? _Is it?_"

"N-no...of course not..."

"That's it! I'm leaving."

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

The first thing Yaten saw when she stepped out of the locker room was a pair of endlessly long tanned legs. Perfect legs that came together at a _really_ nice piece of...

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Usagi straightened feeling immensely foolish and slightly embarrassed. Letting out a huff to display her annoyance she turned around fully intent on stalking out. Instead, she came face to face with Yaten. Those emerald eyes froze her in her place and she felt a smile creep onto her face despite the situation and tension hovering between them.

"Hey..."

"Hey..."

Silence

"This is awkward..." Ami whispered to Makoto.

"No shit..."

Usagi crossed her arms self-consciously over her chest, and broke eye contact to stare at her feet.

"So..." Yaten said quietly. "You're here to swim?"

"Yeah, yeah...I guess everyone's making it into a big party deal..."

"..."

"..."

"Are you leaving?"

"I was thinking about it..." Usagi said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. But now...not so much..."

Yaten blushed rewarding Usagi with a grin of her own. Yaten opened her mouth slightly as if to speak but whatever she said or was about to say was drowned out by a louder voice.

"The _fuuuuuuuun_ has arrived!" Shouted a sing-song voice.

Usagi looked over Yaten's shoulder to see that Seiya had entered the pool area. She herself was wearing a navy blue swimsuit and a crimson tank top over. Yaten's blush seeped from her cheeks and she paled. Looking down at her own modest bathing suit she sighed.

The baby blue suit was fashioned like a sport's bra on top and short shorts on bottom. Of course what Yaten had thought was cute on her was **nothing** compared to her sisters skin-baring, muscle-revealing, gaze-stealing, hotsie-totsie suit. For indeed Usagi's eyes were fixed on the approaching woman with a wide grin slapped on her face.

"You look like a hooker." Seiya pointed out walking up to her.

Usagi tried to cover herself while simultaneously glaring at Seiya's annoyingly smirking face. Despite her vain attempts to cover herself Seiya's eyes were drawn from her face and down to her long legs. Goosebumps rose on Usagi's skin as Seiya's indigo gaze swept appreciatively and approvingly up her legs and up until they once again landed on her face and rested there. 

"Mina made me do it!" She insisted harshly taking a step back. She realized belatedly that she sounded just like a little child tattling to an adult.

Seiya took a step closer and winked. "I didn't say that was a _bad_ thing..."

Usagi was so shocked that all she could say was a whispered "hentai!" before she stepped back again, slipped on the wet tile, and fell backwards into the pool. Following Usagi's good, even if it wasn't planned, "example" the rest of the group jumped in after her with a continuous ruckus of laughter and a more than a little splashed water.

It seemed as if everyone had settled down for the paddled slowly back and forth along the deep end or simply floated lazily upon their backs. Ami and Michiru were currently engaged in a "friendly" diving competition which a few of the girls watched in amusement.

Minako and Usagi had started up a racing game in the corner; to which most of the girls joined in on. The game involved a ring thrown about fifteen feet away from the wall of the pool and then at that time groups of two would dive for the ring and try to retrieve it before the other person.

"Herein are the rules." Hotaru announced.

Everyone groaned.

"We know the rules of the game, 'Hota-chan." Makoto interrupted, "We've _all_ played it before."

"Well where's the fun if you don't go over the rules?" Hotaru asked with a small laugh.

"Yeah..." Minako rolled her eyes, "Fun."

Hotaru glared at her, but continued anyway, "Rule # 1: Both racers must wait until the judge yells go. Any violations and you lose. Rule #2: It doesn't matter who grabs the ring first, but who is the one in possession of it when they break the surface"

Haruka's hand shot into the air.

"Yes, Haruka – This means you can retrieve the ring by any means necessary."

Haruka's arm dropped back down into the water. The older woman grinned evilly making the group grimace while thinking about it and giving Usagi the impression that she didn't want to get paired up with the sandy-haired goddess of wind.

"Finally: Only one breath is allowed. There will be _absolutely_ **no** coming up for air unless one of you is in possession of the ring." Hotaru finished with a grin. "That's it."

"Could you repeat the first one again?" Usagi asked mockingly.

"Ha. Ha." The sixteen-year-old woman drawled out sarcastically in response.

"Come on, come on!" Rei shouted, swimming between them, "Let's play already!"

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Hotaru, though not physically inclined, was a master at the diving ring game and had only lost a few of her races. Currently she was locked in an underwater battle with Minako whom she was against in the race. Minako was trying to kick her way to the top, with the neon green ring in hand, but was finding it even difficult to see with Hotaru climbing all over her back and head.

The rest of the group, including Ami and Michiru who had concluded their competition at twelve wins each, watched in amusement as Minako tried unsuccessfully to pry the younger girl off. It was during one of these attempts that Hotaru took the opportunity, of Minako's one-handed grip on the ring, to snatch it from her and push away.

Out of air and no time to chase down Hotaru, Minako straightened herself out and pushed off the bottom of the pool. She broke the surface seconds before Hotaru's head shot up from beneath the rolling, turquoise water. Brushing her hair back and out of her eyes she grinned cheekily at Minako and lifted the green ring out of the water and into the open air.

"Okay..." Taiki read aloud from a water-splattered piece of paper that hung from the diving board. She squinted slightly to read the names that had been inked on the paper and were now running do the extensive and _wet_ water that had been splashed on it throughout the course of the game. "I believe it's Seiya..."

At the mention of her name the obsidian haired woman gave a cocky grin and swam over to the official _un_official "starting line".

"And.....Usagi..."

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R!

More jam-packed pool fun next chapter!

KissThis


	7. Chapter Seven

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Seven

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: Um...ending the pool scene here. And moving on...

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Silence...

Pushing off the pool wall, Usagi glided over to the starting line, positioned herself for the best start, and got ready to go. Taiki, being the judge raised her hand straight up like a flag. "Ready...set...GO!" Her arm hit the water with a splash and Usagi and Seiya pushed off from the wall and into steep dives.

Usagi was surprised to be the first to get to the ring. She snatched it and was about to swim back up when she turned around and saw Seiya only a few feet away. She floated passively near the bottom and simply watched Usagi. Usagi had no idea what was going on...this wasn't a competition...this was......something else...

Everyone on the surface was baffled as well.

"What the hell is going on down there?" Haruka asked in exasperation. As if she had heard her, Michiru's head popped back above the water and the water Senshi handed her goggles to her cousin.

"She's just sitting there!" Haruka exclaimed after taking a peek, "Why is she just sitting there?" It was impossible for a person like Haruka to believe that anyone would just "give-up" in a competition like this. She was even more shocked that it was Seiya.

"She's letting Usagi win..." Yaten murmured quietly, and Minako nodded her agreement.

Meanwhile, Usagi had swum over to Seiya and was trying to figure out what was going on. Running out of air and getting fed-up, Usagi pulled her hand back to Slap Seiya, but her opponent had other ideas. The water slowed Usagi's attack long enough for Seiya to reach up and grab her arm. Tugging on it, Usagi was lurched forward and glided into Seiya.

~

"Okay......and now she's kissing her...." Makoto reported.

"And now she copping a feel..." Minako broke in. "Oh.....and now she's pissed off....."

~

Usagi brought her knees to her chest and she pushed off Seiya's chest and back to the surface. Gasping for air it took Usagi a moment before she could speak clearly. Seiya's head broke the surface beside her, and the raven-haired woman had no time to react.

**SMACK!**

Seiya's head reeled back with the force of impact. Her left cheek was bright red and Usagi's handprint was outlined upon it.

"What the hell was that?" Usagi exploded, "No, I mean it! What. The Hell. Was. _THAT_!?"

Seiya winced, both from the biting pain in her cheek and Usagi's angry words. This wasn't going the way she had planned.

"First, you…you just "let" me win. A-And then-"

"Usagi..." Ami interrupted quietly.

"No!" Usagi shouted at the blue haired girl, "No! I'm leaving."

"You can't leave yet!" Minako insisted, but Usagi had already disappeared beneath the water. Her lithe and streamlined body streaking swiftly towards the shallow end.

Minako growled in frustration as she watched her entire plan for Usagi's love life totally backfire on her. She turned to Rei, and shook the priestess by the shoulders. "She's ruing my plan!" Minako hissed.

Rei rolled her eyes, but decided to help anyway. It was turning into quite the soap opera...all she needed how was a tub of popcorn.

"Ami! Michiru!" She called out with a laugh, "Bring her back!"

The two Senshi of water pushed hard off the wall and raced after their retreating leader. And when Usagi came up for air she heard the sounds of quick pursuit close behind her. Risking a peek she recognized Ami and Michiru as her hunters – and they were gaining...fast.

She'd barely swum a foot when Michiru's hand clamped down around her ankle and she was drug backwards across the shallows. Flipping onto her back Usagi tried to plead with her jailers.

"Come on guys! Let me go..."

"Sorry Usagi," Ami said with a grin, "Rei's orders."

"Yeah, well I'm sorry too!" Usagi shot back.

As she was pulled passed one of the pool ladders Usagi's arm snaked out and grabbed hold of the cold, metal rung. Ami and Michiru were jerked backwards at their sudden stop, but Usagi wasn't about to let them recover.

In a strategic maneuver to free herself, Usagi spun in a corkscrew. Ami and Michiru, still clutching her legs, were spun around with her until they collided and fell away in a tangle of limbs and bodies. Usagi scrambled up the ladder and out of reach of their wildly groping arms as they swallowed more of the chlorine water than was physically healthy.

Ignoring the lifeguard's orders to walk she sprinted down the tile floor and back into the locker room.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Pleasantly, alluring breakfasty smells wafted up through her open bedroom door and lulled Usagi out of bed. She stretched beneath the warm comforter and resurfaced from the tangled nest of her silk sheets. Noise twitching as the scents reached her her wide blue eyes flickered open and blinked back the sleep. 

"Mmm...Pancakes......"

She pulled some boxers and an old T-shirt with a stifled yawn. She thought absently about brushing her hair, but decided she was too lazy to bother with her hair at moment; as it had humidified during the night and now her golden and silver tresses had frizzed into a wild torrent of loose curls that framed her angelic face.

With a sigh, she started down the mansion stairs. " 'Ruka-chan, if this is an attempt to make me feel better-"

Her voice faded and Usagi felt glued to the bottom stair. A vase filled to bursting with blood red roses sat upon the kitchen counter; there had to have been over three dozen. Finding her feet again Usagi walked to the kitchen counter and slide the vase to the side. 

Seiya Kou stood in her kitchen absolutely _covered_ in flour.

She was flipping light and golden pancakes with skilled and practiced ease from a greasy skillet onto a huge platter that was already loaded with waffles, bacon, sausage, and eggs.

"Hungry?" Seiya asked looking up at the blonde who was staring at her in awe. Her flirtatious smile made Usagi smile too.

"You didn't have to do this." Usagi insisted but snitched a piece of bacon from the platter anyway. She licked her fingers clean of grease and oil before grabbing the platter to carry it over to the dining table. Underestimating the weight of it she stumbled forward struggling to keep everything balanced.

Seiya ducked around the kitchen corner and grabbed hold of the other side. With their combined effort the two managed to hoist the overburdened tray to the table and set it down. Seiya brushed her floury hands off on her apron and blew a wisp of hair from where it had escaped her long braid. "I felt bad about...yesterday."

"I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to snap at you Seiya. I-I just felt uncomfortable in the swimsuit Minako bought me...and well...it wasn't the best time." Usagi explained.

"Are you saying there's a better time?" 

Usagi's head snapped up. She coughed nervously and smiled. "Um...I'm gonna go get dressed."

Seiya grinned, "Ok."

Padding back up the stairs Usagi disappeared into the upper level. When she came back down she was wearing denim capri's and a black 'Bunny Ranch' T-shirt that made Seiya smirk when she saw it.

"Listen, Usa-chan..." Seiya started, turning around in her chair.

"Oh! We need plates..."

Seiya rolled her eyes, "You're avoiding talking to me."

Usagi sighed, "Yes."

"No you _are_." Seiya insisted.

"I just admitted it." Usagi called out from the kitchen area.

"Why are you avoiding talking to me?" Seiya demanded stalking over the kitchen counter and looking through to where Usagi was collecting dishes.

"It's complicated."

"Yaten." Seiya growled harshly through clenched teeth.

Usagi stopped moving and leaned against the counter, "Yeah...Yaten." She shook her head to clear it and crossed the threshold to the cabinet.

"You know that night after the party..." Seiya asked quietly.

"Yeah..." Reaching up she grabbed a glass from the cabinet shelf.

"If Yaten didn't like you so much.....................I would've had sex with you."

The glass slipped from Usagi's fingers and shattered.

"I just took it to the next level, didn't I?"

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R! Pleaaaaaaaase! Love you all!

KissThis


	8. Chapter Eight

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Eight

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: Wow! That last part was fun!

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Usagi sat bolt upright in her bed. Perspiration beaded across her brow and ran down her arms. Her bed was damp with sweat and the silk sheets clung to her quaking body. 

_It was just a dream..._

She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. Leaning back against the headboard of her queen sized bed she visibly calmed and let her body relax. The feverish heat drained from her body and the coolness of the room reached her beneath the covers. She opened her eyes again and they locked on her vanity mirror across the room from her bed. 

With a gasp of panic she flung back the covers of her bed leaving her entire body exposed.

She was fully clothed in her 'Bunny Ranch' T-shirt and capri's. Fear nipped at her heels, and when something else caught her eye it consumed her. A vase of roses sat on her dresser bathed in the afternoon light drifting lazily in through her open window.

"Koneko?"

Haruka stood in her doorway. 

" 'Ruka, what is going on?"

"I heard a commotion from downstairs and when I got there you had fainted. I carried you up to your room."

"How-" Usagi started.

"About an hour ago."

Usagi sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"Koneko-chan, there's someone-"

**_BRING! BRING!_**

"Just a second," Usagi leaned over to her night table and picked up her fuzzy pink phone. Pushing the covers back even farther she stood up and listened as the person spoke.

_Hey..._

"Yaten!" Usagi smiled.

_Listen...I was wondering...do you want to – you know – do something today...?_

Usagi grinned at Yaten's shyness; even over the phone "What did you have in mind?"

_A picnic?_

"A picnic sounds great..."

__

Really?

"It's a date; I'll pick you up in about an hour."

_That sounds great. See you then..._

"Sayonara" Grinning she turned the phone off and set it back down on it's cradle. She turned around, "What were you saying, Haru-"

Seiya stood in the doorway.

Silenced wrapped around the two. Usagi knew she couldn't leave with Seiya just standing there, but she didn't want to stay here...with all these feelings now out in the open. She looked at Seiya, and rather than avoiding her eyes, Seiya stared her down. Slowly, she crossed the room to stand before her. 

A gentle finger upon Seiya's lips stopped her from speaking. Usagi shook her head slowly. With a strangely sad smile she stepped back and away, and closed the door in Seiya's face.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Changing out of her now sweaty clothes she stood in front of her walk-in closet wearing nothing but her undergarments. After a moment's deliberation, Usagi decided on fun, casual apparel with a bit of her natural flair for spunk. 

She rummaged through the back of her closet and pulled out one of her favorite skirts. The dark denim material had once been jeans before they had gotten too short to fit her. With Setsuna's help she had cut, re-stitched, let-out and added on until she had a cute and trendy floor-length skirt with slits up to her knees.

She searched for a few moments, but was at a loss as to what top she should wear. Spying the two bulging shopping bags Minako had brought over in the corner she decided to look through them. There was no doubt that Minako had an incredible taste for fashion. And everything she bought Usagi, save for the recent swimsuit, was perfectly suited to Usagi's own taste and style.

The suede, beige top she had chosen subtly hugged her curves. It tied behind her neck and laced up her back in a criss-cross pattern. Dozens of articles of clothing were strewn haphazardly across Usagi's floor where she had thrown them in her search for a suitable top.

Leaving the clothes on the floor she left her room closing the door behind her and skipped down the stairs two at a time. She was relieved to find that Seiya had taken her leave while she was getting dressed. 

"Hey Usa!"

"Koneko-chan."

"Kitten..."

Usagi-chan laughed. Her friend's and "room mates" had made short work of Seiya's culinary turnout, and sat at the dining table looking extremely pleased with themselves.

"Honestly, 'Ruka-chan. When I lost my extreme appetite I think I gave it to you," she teased.

The other two at the table snickered at Haruka's indignant expression.

"Hey! I'm talking to you too! Michi! Firefly!" She shot back with a laugh. Michiru and Hotaru stopped laughing while Haruka started to chuckle. Michiru rolled her eyes and gathered their plates together before heading into the kitchen.

"You're looking exceptionally _foxy_ today, Kitten." She murmured eyeing Usagi appreciatively. Usagi beamed and struck a sexy pose. "Which also begs the question: What are you doing that made Seiya storm out of here so fast?"

Usagi sweatdropped, anime-style, and scratched the back of her head. "And how's that any of your business?" Usagi scoffed making her way into the kitchen. "Firefly, can you go get me the wicker basket from the basement?"

"Sure thing, Usa." Hotaru hopped off the counter stool and exited the room.

Haruka was instantly beside her; leaning on the counter top. Michiru appeared on the other side. "Well, now that the little one is gone...what exotic kinky fun do you have planned?" Haruka prodded waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Really Haruka! You are such a horny-" 

"Hey hey HEY!" Michiru interrupted, "First things first..."

"Yes?"

"What exotic kinky fun do you have planned?"

Usagi rolled her eyes and pushed past them. Bending over the open fridge she began pulling out an assortment of foods. Haruka wrapped her arms around Usagi's bent waist and laid her head down on her back.

"Koneko-chan......" She whined, "You know you want to tell me..."

"What, do you guys like get off on-" Michiru's hand boxed the blonde's ear reproachfully. "Ow, ow, ow...OW!" Michiru drug the stumbling blonde behind her by her ear.

"Michiru! We're just going on a picnic!"

"Well that's no fun." Haruka complained.

"Well aren't you the-OW! Ow, ow, ow......"

"Michiru-mama?" Hotaru fidgeted beside the kitchen counter. "What are you doing?"

Michiru let go of Usagi's ear allowing the blonde to straighten. She blushed and twirled a strand of aquamarine hair around her finger innocently, "It's not important." The raven-haired teenager rolled her eyes in exasperation and handed Usagi the picnic basket.

"Whatever." Was her cool remark, before she started munching on the food Usagi was throwing onto the counter. As she reached for a strawberry Usagi slapped her hand sharply. The younger girl blew the other a raspberry and snatched one up anyway.

"It's just a picnic." Usagi insisted with Haruka's eyes glaring at her and burning a hole through her back. If Haruka thought she had something else planned she was sorely mistaken. "Food, ants...nothing romantic."

"Depends. Where are you going?" Hotaru popped in surprisingly.

Usagi hesitated.

She hadn't thought of that......

"I guess..." She mused out loud, finishing her packing. "It'd have to be............... wherever I damn please!"

Haruka and Michiru leapt at her in an attempt to tackle her retreating form to the floor. But she was already darting nimbly out of the kitchen and out of their range. Laughing at her roommates' comical actions, she hurried gaily out the front door and into the brisk autumn afternoon.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Usagi leaned casually against the doorjamb of the Starlight's apartment. She adjusted her pink-tinted sunglasses so that they sat on the crown of her head, and rested her arms behind her head. Taiki opened the door dressed in a casual sweatshirt and faded pair of jeans.

Usagi straightened and gave the brunette a smile. They kissed cheeks in greeting and Usagi gave Taiki some cookies from her picnic basket before Yaten game running into the foyer. The smoke haired woman wore dark denim jeans and a gray-toned, fuzzy sweater with a box-cut neckline.

Yaten stepped out into the hallway and Usagi turned to follow. "See you later, Taiki. Give Seiya my love." She closed the door behind her and walked after her date. Her azure eyes were drawn to the subtle swaying of Yaten's hips, and then to the designer logo on the back of her jeans. Two handprints were set upon the seat of Yaten's pants, easily recognizable as the MUDD logo.

The hilarity of handprints on Yaten's butt made her chuckled in amusement; if only to cover up the desire to match her own hands up to the logo. Shaking her head to clear it, Usagi jogged to catch up to her green-eyed friend at the elevator.

Stepping inside what was basically a big metal box, Usagi pushed the button labeled 'Lobby' and slouched against the wall as the steel doors closed. Yaten's hands rested on the railings and she counted down the floors in time with the digital numbers displayed above the doors.

_29..........28..........27..........26..........25.........._

13..........12..........11..........10.........…....................…

"Um, Usa?"

Usagi's attention snapped back to reality, and she realized she'd been having another fantasy about the logo on Yaten's jeans, "Hmm?"

Yaten gulped, "Did I mention I was scared of small, enclosed places?"

Usagi took the two steps needed to cross the threshold of the elevator, and took Yaten's hand. "What's wrong?"

"We've stopped moving." Yaten pointed to the digital numbers that were flickering the number 10 in a rather obsessive compulsive way.

"Oh shit."

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R!

Trapped in an elevator with Yaten! What could be more fun?! (Besides it being with Seiya, lol) ((Haruka comes in close second as well)). Anywho. I hope you like. I don't know how long it's going to be until I update again – my grades are kind of slipping and I can't really focus on my school work or soccer with Yaten and Seiya's sexiness running through my head all the time.

But it's not just you guys that are suffering. No, my school friends are going to be in withdrawal from my presence when I'm not able to hang out with them as much anymore. Oh well. Gotta get into Oxford, ya know! ~.^

Thanks for letting me rant.

Love you all, 

KissThis


	9. Chapter Nine

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Nine 

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: Wow! I'm going to try and fit the entire elevator AND picnic scene in this chapter, but if I find a good cliffhanger I might split it into two! :-P Anyhoo. Let's get on with it.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

"Rock, Paper...Scissors!"

"I win again!" Usagi exclaimed. Clapping her hands giddily together.

"What?"

"Paper covers rock." Usagi repeated for the ninth time since they'd started playing. She lifted her hands and covered her fist with her other hand to emphasize the rules.

"Rock rips through paper." Yaten insisted shaking her head.

"That's not how the game is played."

"Well it's illogical." Yaten declared biting into an apple.

"Illogical or not that's how it goes!" Usagi grabbed the apple from Yaten's hands and took a large bite insolently. She dropped her hands heavily in her lap with a sigh and shifted her position so that she was leaning against the cold metallic walls of the elevator.

Still hungry, Yaten munched on a cookie while changing her position as well. Lying on her back she propped her legs up against the railing. Eating her cookie she seemed fascinated by the tile work on the ceiling. She glanced at her watch. They'd been stuck in the elevator for the past twenty minutes.

"When is your little Scooby gang gonna get here?!" Yaten whined.

"My what?"

Yaten tilted her head back looking at Usagi in an upside-down gaze. She grinned. "Your Scooby gang. Your little band of groupies."

Usagi glared at the silver-haired beauty, who was giving her a cheeky smile, and flopped down onto her stomach. "They're **not** my _groupies_."

Yaten's snort of contempt made Usagi glower. Looking backwards at her Yaten ticked her points off on her artistically slender fingers. "They follow you wherever you go. They _worship_ you. You tell them _everything_ and they know _everything_ about you..."

"I could tell you those things..." Usagi whispered. Only now were they both aware of how close they were. Usagi's knees were pressed against wall and despite the fact that only Yaten's upper body was upon the floor they took up almost the entire length of the elevator. 

Usagi's forearms rested on either side of Yaten's head and buried within her pool of molten silver tresses. The face of the Moon Princess hovered only inches above Yaten's but the distance between was decreasing as a strange magnetic force pulled them together.

Cool fingers grazed and caressed Yaten's scalp, her jaw, her forehead, her cheeks...

"Promise?" Emerald eyes pleaded.

"Anything..." Usagi was breathless with anticipation and she ducked her head downwards.

**__**

DING!

Usagi leapt backwards so fast her back slammed into the wall making the entire contraption shake and shudder. Yaten froze for a nano-second before scrambling to her feet as the elevator doors slid open. Usagi waved weakly at the Inners standing outside in the hallway.

"Hey guys..."

"God, Odango! Only you could manage to get stuck in an elevator!"

Usagi chucked a half-eaten apple at Rei's head, for it was she who had spoken, but she ducked the weak attempt and instead of nailing the raven-haired woman it hit the wall behind her and exploded on impact. Usagi winced as the gooey mess splattered across the beige wall and drip down slowly.

"Nice one." Makoto said with a grin to which Usagi blew a raspberry in response.

Yaten shifted uncomfortably in the corner and everyone's eyes were drawn to her as if realizing that she had been trapped in the elevator as well. A sly smile blossomed on Minako's face giving Usagi a well-based feeling of unease.

"So. How did you two pass the time?"

"Nothing happ-" Yaten started.

"Without a doubt in a more interesting way than you passed the time getting us out." Usagi smirked in a sickeningly sweet voice

The Inners gaped in shock and Ami even had the decency to blush. With a roll of her eyes, Usagi grabbed Yaten's hand and her picnic basket making a hasty retreat. Yaten stumbled while trying to keep up with Usagi's brisk and tasking pace.

"Usagi" She puffed jogging to match her speed, "Why...w-we didn't..."

Usagi scoffed. Noting Yaten's inability to keep up she slowed to a normal walk. "Come on. Minako would have concluded it one way or another." She smiled a nervously cheery smile.

Yaten studied her through narrowed eyes as if concluding something in her head. She linked her arm with Usagi's and they stepped out into the fading sunlight. Usagi's mood instantly soared as the warm beams hit her upturned face and made her amber hair glow.

"The beach?" Usagi inquired.

"The beach."

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

The moon lifted from the horizon of the water as if rising from the bottom of the ocean itself. Its pale lighted moonbeams shone down on the couple stretched out in the sand lighting the shadows of their bodies. 

Usagi leaned back on her elbows and sipped her wine. The crystal glass was expertly crafted to become a perfectly beautiful vessel. A detailed pattern of roses decorated the bottom and spiraled up the very rim. She turned her head slightly to see her dinner companion scrutinizing her. She quirked a finely arched eyebrow and pressed sugar pink lips to crystalline rim and took another sip.

"See anything you like?" She asked tartly with a smirk.

Yaten blushed, but didn't turn away. Usagi set her glass down in the still warm sand and rolled over on the sandy blanket to face the silver-haired woman. 

"Do you want me to tell you a secret?" She whispered.

Yaten nodded.

Usagi grinned.

"You'll have to catch me first!"

Leaping to her feet, she was already sliding out of her skirt and untying her top as she ran to the shoreline kicking up trails of sand behind her. Yaten stared in disbelief as Usagi, clad only in her undergarment reached the water's edge and dove in. She debated internally with herself for a moment before yanking her sweater up and over her head. Dropping it in the sand, she stood up and slinked out of her jeans. 

She jogged to the water's edge, her feet padding lightly on the mini-dunes of sand. Yaten only allowed herself a moment's hesitation before diving in after Usagi. The water was as cold as ice. Her body tingled and numbed before she even hit the bottom, and when she did she pushed off hard shooting back up to the surface.

She broke the surface and took shaky breaths finding that the cold made her breathing erratic. Turning around she saw Usagi floating in the rolling waves only a few feet away. Reluctant to submerge her entire body again, Yaten began paddling towards her quarry. 

Usagi, always the tease, waited until her hunter was almost upon her before diving again. She resurfaced again, behind Yaten.

The instant Usagi disappeared beneath the waves for the second time Yaten stopped swimming and ceased her splashing. Listening keenly she heard the distinct movements of water. She followed on the surface as Usagi swum beneath her, and when the blonde came up for air Yaten was instantly upon her and holding tight to her upper arm.

Yaten's vein's thrummed with heat despite the frigid waters when, in a simple gesture, Usagi's lower lip jutted out and she pouted like a small child.

"You caught me." She whined. Despite her attempts at being annoyed, she shivered from the cold. Yaten's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Tell me..."

Usagi's face instantly softened. She reached up and brushed away the soaking silver strands that clung to Yaten's face. Her own bangs fell wetly in her eyes and obscured her vision.

"I think I'm falling in love with you." Usagi whispered.

Yaten swallowed hard as the heat flooded her numb and previously unfeeling body. This was what she had longed for...all those sleepless nights. This tiny hope was what had brought her back from the darkness of her own creating when nothing else could. She had left her home, her princess, and everything that she had grown up around.......for her.

_This_ was _real_.

"I don't understand this feeling." Yaten murmured. "I've never been attracted to a woman before..."

Usagi's cool arms wrapped around her neck. "Let me love you." She pleaded.

If Yaten hadn't been standing in the shallows she felt that she would have stop swimming and drowned Usagi's intense gaze. Her sapphire eyes begged with an intensity she had never seen before. In that instant, a string inside Yaten broke.

"Anything for you..."

**BOOM!**

They were ripped apart as something exploded within the ocean. Waves ten stories high rose up between them pulling them in different directions before crashing back down upon them. Yaten was spun around and around beneath the water until she had no idea which way was up. Water filled her lungs threatening to suffocate her if she didn't reach the surface.

Another tsunamic wave formed beneath her pushing her upwards. She managed to gulp in a single breath of air before she was pulled back under by the violent and dangerous crashing of the waves.

Usagi kneeled over on the sand of the beach coughing up gallons of sea-water. Cold metal pressed against her temple filled her with chilling fear. Her terrified azure eyes looked up at the gun pointed at her head.

"Sailor Moon – You _must_ die."

**BANG!**

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R!

I just love my cliffies!

Ok! I've decided to turn this into a full-blown fic, rather than another one of my mini-romances. Isn't this exciting? Next chapter, A NEW ENEMY WILL BE REVEILED! Or is it an old enemy? The Sailor Senshi are coming out of retirement! Won't this be fun?

KissThis


	10. Chapter Ten

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Ten

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: Omg! That just came out! I've decided to turn this into a full-blown fanfic; complete with a never-before thought of (I think) baddy and an "evil" plot. It's gonna be so cool! Anyway, don't freak out from last chapter! I couldn't just kill Usagi…just read!

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Usagi shuddered but strangely felt no pain. She opened her eyes that she had reflexively squeezed shut when she'd heard the gunshot. A quick glance to the left revealed that she had in fact _not_ been shot, but rather that the bullet hadn't hit her. Instead it had left a faint trail through the sand and buried itself in the dunes.

"That was a warning shot. Next time I won't miss."

Usagi started to rise. Her attacker growled and aimed a kick at her prone stomach. It connected and sent Usagi skidding sideways. The rough sand cut harshly into her skin with the force at which she was ploughed into it.

It was now that Usagi finally had an opportunity to look at her attacker. It was difficult to pinpoint specific features in the dusty moonlight that had descended on them, but it didn't matter. The weak light was enough...

"Uranus?!"

The sandy-haired, sailor senshi of wind took step forward in the sand. The light ocean breeze stirred the golden bows of her fuku and lifted the edge of her navy skirt blending it into the darkness. 

"Surprise..."

The small, silver handgun appeared to be held loosely in the older woman's grasp, but the restless fidgeting of Uranus' finger on the trigger offset Usagi. The utter contempt and loathing splashed across her "friend's" face only cut Usagi deeper when Uranus' lips curled into a psychotic snarl.

"It can't be!" Usagi coughed. "What's going on?"

"Your right Sailor Moon. We're not who you see before you."

Two more figures, distinctly female, appeared on either side of the gun-wielding Super Sailor Uranus. 

"Mars! Fighter!"

Despite the gun pointed at her Usagi scrambled to her feet and stumbled a few paces through the sand before collapsing to her knees. Fighter kneeled before her and took Usagi's face in her hands. Callused but warm hands wiped the tears from Usagi's splotchy face. Still sobbing Usagi struggled to lift her face to look at one of her closest friends.

"S-Seiya...w-what's going on...?"

"I love you Usagi. I came back for _you_." 

Usagi couldn't think straight. 

Everything was so..._confusing_…

"W-what…w-what did you call me?"

"Just tell me you love me and we can be together..." Fighter ran her fingers through Usagi's wet tresses in a soothing and intimate manner.

"You said Usagi...S-Seiya never c-calls me that..." Usagi hiccuped and started to cry again. "You're not her!"

Fighter pulled back to rest on the balls of her feet. She pushed back Usagi's damp bangs that had become plastered to her forehead and rubbed the tears from the corners of her eyes with her thumbs. 

"Of course I'm not." If Usagi could have seen through the waves of tears that continued to pour from her eyes she would have seen the strangely dark smile on "Fighter's" face as she rose to her feet.

Fighter brushed sand from her black, enameled fuku, before looking down at the cowering Princess of the Moon. "I'm dead." Usagi's head snapped up and her sobs instantly fell to subdued sniffles. The caring face the woman had adopted, under the façade of Fighter and _her_ emotions, hardened and all traces of kind feelings were nullified.

"You killed me bitch!"

Usagi spit up sand and wiped the gritty substance from mouth. The pain in her side from where "Fighter" had kicked her screamed at her. Fighter danced around in amusement while biting down on her knuckle in a vain attempt to stifle insane giggles. The sick pleasure this woman got from manipulating her mind made Usagi want to vomit.

"That's enough Suki." "Mars" ordered. The one she had called Suki hesitated a moment, but stepped down with a nod of obedience. Mars stepped forward, but from behind her back, Fighter/Suki's appearance wavered under Usagi's azure gaze.

Mars had taken the gun from Uranus, when Suki noticed Usagi's surprised look. "Yuni! We have to go now."

Mars, who Suki had called Yuni, whirled around to face her partner. Suki's appearance wavered again, alerting Yuni to the nature of the situation. "It seems you've gotten a lucky break, Sailor Moon."

"We'll be back, and then I can have my way with you," Suki giggled childishly, "You're my new favorite plaything..."

Now both Yuni and "Uranus" were flickering back and forth in front of Usagi.

"You will pay for your crimes against The Old Code of the Sailor Senshi." Uranus insisted in a gruff tone. "And you'll never know when you'll die..."

"Sleep well tonight, _Princess_." Suki giggled.

Usagi's fists clenched around the cooling sand. Anger and immense fear rose inside her, but above that something else resurfaced. After years of lying dormant with disuse her super sense of love and justice on the grand scale of Earth flared inside her. Summoning up her strength, both physical _and_ emotional she gave them the trademark glare of Sailor Moon filled with stubbornness and defiance.

"I fear not ghosts, I fear them not!" As an added flair she threw up her arms and flung the sand that she had clutched in her small fists at her flickering attackers. With another laugh from the decidedly insane Suki the trio disappeared leaving Usagi's weak attack of sand to fall back to the shore were it had come from.

Usagi laid in the sand for the longest time thinking if the entire thing had been real or simply a wine induced dream. The thing that troubled her most was the fact that they had said she had committed crimes against the Order all Senshi held Sacred. Only the realization that Yaten was out there somewhere stirred her from her confused stupor and gave her the strength to get to her feet. 

Sand stuck to her entire body from being kicked around in it while still dripping wet. Her eyes scanned the still rolling waves of water in search for a sign of Yaten. She figured that the underwater explosion was connected to the strange trio in a deadly way. It was a terrifying thought when she realized that these women that were out to kill her weren't idiots. They weren't amateurs. They had planned the explosion while she was swimming in hopes of killing her then. And when she didn't...they had a back-up plan. They knew what they were doing, and what they were doing was trying to kill _her_.

It was then that she stumbled over Yaten's half-conscious body sprawled in the sand. Her lower half lay in the shallows with an arm about a piece of driftwood to keep from being pulled back out by the tide. Despite the sand that covered her washed up body, Yaten's skin was icy blue; her lips strained and purple.

The splotchy blue of her skin was freezing to Usagi's touch as she drug Yaten's body from the water. Her pulse was weak but steady and her breathing faint but even. She pulled Yaten into her arms and stumbled up the shifting dunes. Nearing their picnic site Usagi sunk to her knees and dropped Yaten upon the blanket. She wrapped the checkered cloth about Yaten and rubbed it briskly across her skin to bring warmth back to her body.

Usagi didn't stop until Yaten's skin was bright red and she was satisfied that Yaten was no longer in danger of catching hypothermia or pneumonia. Then she tugged Yaten's sweater back on and wrapped her lower body in the picnic blanket.

She did all this on autopilot. Her mind had retreated somewhere distant to mull over the recent happenings. Only Yaten's well-being kept her from sinking into despair that came with the realization that evil had risen once again. She mentally berated herself for allowing herself to believe that all evil and chaos had been defeated. How naïve she had been...

Laying Yaten in the back of her car she climbed into the front and started up the engine, while racking her brain. As she speed down the streets of Juuban the water dried on her skin leaving salty residues mixed with streaks of sand. Too rattled to think of anything but Yaten's health she had left her clothes lying on the beach. With her damp hair waving in the breeze and slapping across her face she hardly noticed the stares she was getting driving around town in her underwear. Her brain started working again and she thought she remembered something about a party at Rei's.

Making a wild U-Turn in the middle of the street she pressed down harder on the gas and raced to the Hikawa Shrine.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

The screeching of tires was heard over the din of the music, but the women paid it no heed, until there was a loud and demanding pounding on the door. It was Hotaru who stopped dancing and bounding over to the door slid it open.

The music was immediately shut off at Hotaru's scream. There were no words uttered as Usagi walked into the room on unsteady feet; Yaten held protectively in her arms.

"Ami..." She whispered. "Ami!" This time her voice was louder and more urgent. "Help me..."

The blue-haired woman pushed through the shocked group of bodies to her distraught friend. Together they lowered Yaten's wrapped body to the couch and Ami began checking her vital signs and ordering the others about.

"Makoto! I'll need a bath drawn. Make it HOT." The brunette nodded brusquely and disappeared into the bathroom.

"Rei, find some blankets for Usagi before she catches a cold." Usagi's head snapped up as the raven-haired miko passed her. Instinctively, she backed away.

"Setsuna, you'll have to find some dry clothes for them." Setsuna started to leave the room, but Usagi grabbed her arm.

"No, I need you." She managed through teeth that were starting to chatter.

"Michiru." The aqua-haired woman nodded and glided from the room in the direction of Rei's bedroom. Usagi took a shivering position beside the couch as Ami worked. She laced her fingers through Yaten's limp and cold ones.

A hand touched Usagi's shoulder, "What happened?"

Usagi's terrified scream grabbed everyone's attention. The blonde scrambled backwards from Seiya's hurt form, and backed herself into a corner. She futilely tried to wedge herself deeper into the crevice between the two walls. "Leave me alone!" She hissed.

"What's wrong Odango?" Seiya asked dropping slowly to her knees.

"Y-you called me…O-Odango!" Usagi flung herself at Seiya and tackled her to the ground. Seiya was stiff with shock at Usagi's seemingly wild "mood swings" while the blonde continued the sob into her tank top. Finally she allowed her arms to wrap around the petite woman's back and rub it soothingly.

When Usagi was finally able to lift her head from its makeshift bed of Seiya's shirt it was to look up at her friend's concerned faces through puffy red eyes.

"Your Highness?" Setsuna prompted. 

Usagi sat up from where she and Seiya had been sprawled. She wiped her eyes free of sand, salt, and tears before glancing over at Yaten's semi-conscious body on the couch.

"It's time for the Senshi to come out of retirement..."

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R!

It's a bit confusing right now I know, but more things will be explained in the next chapter. Please stay with me here, AND review! No one did the last chapter and it made me feel all empty inside! I could hardly right this chapter without that fuzzy and warm inspiration, so you better review this one so the next will be super good!

KissThis


	11. Chapter Eleven

Title: It's In Her Kiss...

Chapter Eleven

Author: KissThis

Rating: Pg-13...might change to R in later chapters.

Summary: Takes place about a year after the fight with Galaxia and the leaving of the Starlights. Visions plague Healer, and she desires to return to Earth. And a romance ensues with many obstacles and bumps along the way. Usagi/Yaten

Disclaimer: All Sailormoon paraphernalia belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The plot, though, was dutifully thought of and recorded by my faithful plot bunnies.

A/N: Ok. Mainly an explanation chapter. Ok, I'm not sure about the exact time Sailor Moon started, so I'm going w/ 1996 which should be right, if not...oh well. *Munches on some cookies* What else? Oh yeah! I tried to explain most of the things in this chapter, but there's just a tad few more things I'll go over in the next one. Plus, we're gonna get some fluffy romance and some D-R-A-M-A in the next chappy! Let me hear a shout out from the people in the back!

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

"Setz, I-I'll need you to do a search on some names." Usagi instructed. Her shivering had wound down after Rei had returned with warm blankets. Now wrapped in one of these blankets she leaned over Setsuna's shoulder as the woman pulled up a search browser on Rei's computer.

"Ok, give me 'em."

"Two women...Yuni and Suki...about Hotaru's age..."

It was then that Michiru returned with dry clothes. She handed a set to Usagi and the blonde thanked her quietly. Setsuna's fingers whizzed over the keyboard giving off a steady _clacking_ rhythm.

"I'm gonna go change."

Setsuna sighed in frustration and turned in her swivel chair to face Usagi's retreating form. "There are thousands of women with those two names. How are we going to find them?"

Haruka stepped in; "Do they have any special features? Any discernable traits?"

Usagi paused in the doorway. It was clear to all present that something _drastic_ had happened at the beach.

"Yeah, there is one thing..."

"What?"

"They're dead."

The door slid shut behind her.

The faint sounds of Usagi moving about behind the screen door were the only sound in the silence that had descended on the group. Makoto coughed slightly.

"Well that narrows it down a bit."

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

Usagi's sigh of exhaustion was no louder than the '_coo_' of a dove; being only a small fraction of the mental and psychological torment she battled with. She clutched the blanket tighter around her with one hand and pressed the dry clothes to her chest. Her steps to the bathroom were shaky but as heavy as lead. When she reached the small room she slid quietly inside and turned around.

"When are you gonna tell me what's going on?"

With shaky hands she set her clothes down on the bathroom counter and leaned against the door. Feeling a sudden chill, Usagi wrapped her arms about her torso, but no warmth came to her. When she looked up her eyes would not meet Yaten's and when she finally began to speak, her voice was low and uneven and her eyes were fixed on the tile of the hot-tub-like bath.

"They...they made me see things." One of her quivering hands floated over the side of her face, "They got in my h-head..." Her eyes locked on Yaten's for a moment before the drifted away again; darting all over the room. 

The blonde licked her lips nervously, "A-are you ok?" The love and hopefulness was not shielded in her voice, but Yaten was confused as to why she would not come closer. Despite the boiling water in which she was immersed, Yaten's body turned to ice.

"Usagi, pet...did you mean what you said in the water?"

Usagi's breath hitched in her throat, and she was suddenly terrified at being "trapped" within the looming stone walls. Her hand groped frantically behind her for the doorknob. Her dark blue eyes were like those of a frightened rabbit as they locked on something behind Yaten.

"Leave her!" Usagi cried. The muffled sounds outside the door instantly died.

"Hmm. Is this one precious to you?"

Yaten jumped from the bathtub with a surprised shout. Seconds later a fully dressed Sailor StarHealer was standing in her place.

A young woman stood upon the rim of the bath and leaned nonchalantly against the bathroom wall. Her pastel pink hair was in tight curls about her shoulders. Amethyst eyes were elegantly oval in shape and scrutinized them with mischievous indifference. The outfit she wore consisted of a simple Greek-ish-like toga, that when actually stared out, was impossible to tell the color of; as it continued to shift and blend with the lighting.

"So nice to see you again so soon, Moon." The woman giggled, even as the battle-ready scouts burst into the bathroom. "Silly toysie is scared...I hope I did not break her."

"S-Suki..." Usagi whispered.

"What's going on, Usagi?" Jupiter asked, not taking her eyes off the intruder.

"Go away...go away...go _away_..." Usagi let out a pitiful whine.

"What do you want?" Healer demanded moving to stand protectively in front of Usagi.

"Nothing really..." Suki insisted almost innocently. 

It was obvious the Senshi didn't believe her. Healer's angry glare made Suki's pale lips curve in sadistic amusement. "I just want to torture and kill her."

**URANUS SPACE SWORD B-**

"Uranus, NO!" Maker grabbed the angry Senshi's arm interrupting her attack. The wicked sabre in Uranus' hand glittered dangerously before disappearing back into her sub-space pocket. "An attack like that in such an enclosed area could hurt all of us."

"Why?" Usagi whispered from behind the scouts.

Suki screamed in anger, as if Usagi was supposed to have known. "You killed me you INSOLENT BITCH!" The water in the bathtub Healer had previously been in began to boil and roll. A violent wind stirred up into a sudden twister like apparition beneath Suki's bare feet. 

"I never killed anyone!" Usagi screamed in heated denial over the roaring wind.

"LIAR!" The twister blasted straight through the ranks of Senshi flinging them to opposite sides of the bathroom. Usagi screamed as the tornado enveloped her spinning her limp body around and around and around.

"You must pay for the deaths of my sisters and my family!" Suki screamed; her voice reaching banshee-like decibels. 

"SUKI!"

The wind instantly died and the waters stilled. Usagi was released from her prison of wind to land unsteadily on her feet. "R-Rioku!"

"You've revealed too much, Suki!" The woman that appeared was clothed in the same, strange garments. The structure of her face and her height compared to Suki's labeled her as the younger of the two. Her emerald hair, a few shades lighter than Setsuna's own, was pulled up into a high ponytail. "Yuni is not pleased..."

Despite her seniority over her ally, Suki avoided Rioku's piercing gray gaze. "I-I just wanted to play with my little toysie..." Suki explained, reverting back to her childlike insanity. Rioku grabbed her wrist and the two flickered, looking like they were caught in a strobe light, and then vanished.

The Senshi warily de-henshined. 

"Usagi?"

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

"They appeared...as Rei...and Haruka...a-and S-Seiya." Usagi's voice wavered, and she shivered despite the warm, woolen sweater she had donned and the feather-down comforter wrapped around her to block out the omniscient chill. "And...t-there was a gun..." Ducking her head to hide her tears Usagi ran a hand through her sea-straggled locks of silver and blonde hair.

The Senshi could only imagine what mental damage the ordeal must have caused Usagi. Enemies' wearing the faces of your closest friends and protectors while pointing a gun at your head was _unfathomable_. They exchanged uneasy looks as Usagi went on, each silently wondering how severe the psychological wounds were...and if they would_, if ever_, heal.

When she looked up again at her friends and Senshi you could see the salty trails the tears had left, running down her cheeks. "Why do they want to kill me?" Usagi asked through a half sob.

Yaten wrapped her arms around her as Usagi began to cry again. The blonde tensed in Yaten's hold making Yaten's blood boil at the mental turmoil those women had caused her princess. Usagi relaxed finally as she became enveloped in Yaten's earthy smell and the warmth of her body pressed against her own. "I don't know, love..." The emerald-eyed woman whispered into Usagi's hair.

Michiru leaned over the coffee table from her seat on the ottoman and placed a comforting hand on Usagi's knee. "Why don't you rest."

Usagi nodded distractedly and set down her half-drunk tea. "Yes, rest..."

"Hotaru can you help her? She can lie in my room." Rei spoke up from her perch on the arm of Ami's chair.

The young woman nodded and set down her tea as well. Placing a guiding hand underneath Usagi's elbow she led the dazed Princess of the Moon to the sliding glass doors. Suddenly Usagi let out a pitiful whimper and swung her free hand around wildly. "Y-Yaten?"

Yaten was instantly at her side. With careful love and feeling she clasped her love's cold hand and laced her fingers with hers. "Sshh...shh. I'm here, love. I'm here..."

Usagi noticeably calmed and laid her head upon Yaten's shoulder. Together, Hotaru and Yaten led Usagi from the room and down the hall to Rei's offered bedroom.

Seiya watched from the darkened corner that she had retreated to as her sister led the confused Usagi from the room. The fact that Yaten seemed to be the only one that brought Usagi peace made unwanted feelings of jealousy and hostility, towards her sister, well up inside her.

With her arms crossed over her chest she was clutching them so hard even her short nails threatened to pierce the skin. Peering into the empty cup that dangled loosely from her fingers, she studied the residual tea leaves bitterly. 

_Life bites..._

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

****

Name: Suki Mikikona

Hair Color: Pastel Pink

Hair Style: Curly; down

Eye Color: Amethyst

Blood Type: AB

Age (at time of death): 16

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Birthday: February 2, 1982

Deathday: February 2, 1998

Favorite Color: Gold

Favorite Gemstone: Aquamarine

Favorite Sport: Badminton

Favorite Food: Sweets

Least Favorite Food: Any type of meat

Favorite Subject: Physical Education

Least Favorite Subject: Physics 

School: Muugen Gakuen School

Home Environment: Mother, father, an older sister, and a younger brother and sister.

Dream: to be a model

"Oh my god!" Rei exclaimed. "She died on her _birthday_!"

Ami leaned over Setsuna's shoulder as the printer whirred to life. "These obituaries are extremely thorough." She murmured and peered curiously over the rims of her reading glasses at the small screen. "Favorite sports, food, subject, dreams!"

It was Makoto who picked up the still warm paper from the printer and studied it. After a moment she handed it to Haruka who gave her a quizzical glance. "She went to Muugen. Did any of you know her?"

The sandy-haired Senshi stared hard at the accompanying photograph and then let her eyes skim over the synopsis of the girl. Ruefully she shook her head, "No, not I at least. That was our first year, and I was too focused on the mission to really socialize."

"Nor I." Michiru admitted, leaning over Haruka's shoulder. "I don't remember her either."

"Bulls' eye!" 

The group turned toward the computer alcove to find Setsuna and Ami grinning in triumph. "We've found the other two," Ami reported.

****

Name: Rioku Hamishi

Hair Color: Emerald

Hair Style: High ponytail

Eye Color: Gray

Blood Type: O+

Age (at time of death): 15

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Birthday: March 16, 1985

Deathday: April 30, 2000

Favorite Color: Black

Favorite Gemstone: Garnet

Favorite Sport: Any martial arts

Favorite Food: Noodles

Least Favorite Food: Chocolate

Favorite Subject: Physical Education

Least Favorite Subject: Home Economics

School: Crystal Blades School of Martial Arts.

Home Environment: Father

Dream: to be the martial arts champion of the world

--

****

Name: Yuni Retoi

Hair Color: Sky blue

Hair Style: Long braid

Eye Color: Gold

Blood Type: B

Age (at time of death): 17

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Birthday: September 9, 1979

Deathday: January 16, 1996

Favorite Color: Yellow

Favorite Gemstone: Topaz

Favorite Sport: None

Favorite Food: Sandwiches

Least Favorite Food: Anything sour

Favorite Subject: Ancient Languages

Least Favorite Subject: Mathematics

School: Shibakouen Junior High School

Home Environment: Older brother.

Dream: to become a teacher

"All three went to entirely different schools...I can't imagine how they could have known each other." Taiki mused taking Setsuna's place in front of the computer screen. Taiki and Ami standing next to each other, both in their reading glasses made quite the cute couple. "They must've banded together after their deaths..."

"Hold on a second." Ami pushed her glasses up farther on the bridge of her noise. "One of them went Shibakouen, Minako's old junior high. Hamishi. Yuni Hamishi? Did you know her?" 

Silence.

Ami looked up from the paper to find Minako absent. "Oh, that's right. She went to England to visit her Mum." Taking off her glasses she rubbed her eyes with fatigue, "When is she coming back?"

"Sometime tomorrow I believe." Rei supplied, and Ami of the paper. She glanced at the clock and winced. "Er...today, to be correct. It's 1 AM." She finished correcting herself and went back to looking over the bio of one Yuni Hamishi.

"There's no way Mina-chan could have known her anyway." Rei handed the sheet back to an inquisitive looking Ami. "This says she died in early '96. Minako was still living in England. In fact, by that date......none of the scouts had even been awakened yet – not even Usagi..."

The Senshi present exchanged a glance.

"Well, at least we known the motives for one of the three," Haruka stated bluntly, voicing the thought that no one else dared to. "But what of the others?"

Ami sighed even as Taiki began furiously typing on the keyboard. "It's hard to tell. I'll cross-reference the dates of their deaths with the battles documented in my Data-Pad and the lists of casualties. A-and...we'll see where that leads us."

Makoto nodded and the Senshi settled into their own pessimistic trains of thought, with Taiki's rhythmic clacking of keys on the keyboard, and the subdued beeping of Ami's computer. Not even Seiya's retreat to Rei's kitchen to acquire more tea broke them out of their reverie.

^%^%^%^%^%^%^%^%

R & R!

I love all of you people who have waited so patiently! Kisses!


End file.
